Luke Price isn’t naive.

Clemson’s former tight end knows it’s a long shot to hear his name called when the NFL Draft begins April 27. While many of his former teammates have plenty of game film and their share of private meetings for teams to evaluate, Price doesn’t have any of that.

He’s hoping just one of those 32 teams at the next level finds his versatility and intangibles appealing enough to give him a crack at it.

“I understand what my position and what my role will be if I do get an opportunity,” Price said.

Price spent six seasons at Clemson primarily as a reserve and special-teams contributor. The Dillon native, who initially walked on the team as a linebacker in 2017, finished his extended time at Clemson with just six catches. His only career touchdown reception came last season.

Price got what will likely be his only chance to work out for NFL teams before the draft during Clemson’s pro day earlier this month. A couple of dropped passes during position drills had Price understandably feeling like things could’ve gone better, but he said he felt like the totality of his day was solid.

He bench pressed 29 rep of 225 pounds, the second-most among Clemson’s participants. Price also turned in respectable times of 4.52 and 7.53 seconds in the agility drill and three-cone drill, respectively, flashing some of the athleticism bottled up in his 6-foot-2, 236-pound frame.

“I showed teams that I’m not a waste and that I’ll be able to provide something if a team picks me up,” Price said.

Still, Price knows that teams will likely be taking into account more than just the physical attributes when it comes to his chances of getting a shot as an undrafted free agent or even through a minicamp invite. That’s where Price believes he can shine.

“You have that self-confidence about yourself,” he said. “If you don’t have that, then why are you even trying? If you don’t have that belief, then what’s the point?

“At the end of the ay, it’s believing in yourself and understanding that you have got a skill set that people value.”

Price did a lot of the dirty work during his time at Clemson, something he said he didn’t mind. When he wasn’t performing his special-teams duties, Price was typically serving as an extra hat in the run game.

“I just do my job,” he said. “Whatever the job is, whatever it takes, that’s always been my mindset. If there were guys that were in front of me (on the depth chart), I’m not bitter. I stopped being bitter about things like that a long time ago because if you think about what other people are doing and how much time they’re getting, you’re going to suffer when you do get an opportunity.”

Being that kind of team player could be a welcomed addition to an NFL locker room. So could winning, something Price did a lot of during his time at Clemson.

He’s walking away from the program with five ACC championships, a national championship ring from the Tigers’ 2018 season and two degrees. Price earned his first one in health science in 2020 before adding a psychology degree to his resume the following year. If football doesn’t work out, physical therapy is the fallback plan.

“I could go and do whatever it is I wanted. Right now, this is what I want to do,” Price said. “I have the belief and the confidence in myself to get the job done, whatever role it may be.

“Having that belief and that trust in yourself that you know you can win no matter what anyone says or no matter how much playing time you get, at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about. Doing your role and doing whatever it takes to win. And I know I have whatever it takes to win in whatever role I take on.”

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